Student accommodation Glasgow

[aesopstables]

Hoping for some advice please. DS starting at Strathclyde Uni in Glasgow in a couple
of weeks and there is zero student accommodation left. Private student accommodation is also full with waiting lists running into the 400’s.

So it looks like we are now in a situation where he needs to find some flat mates, and find a flat, far from ideal in his first year and when he’s never been to Scotland in his life!

We live in Kent so all this will have to be arranged remotely. I know nothing about Glasgow and which are good areas or areas for students to avoid living, so advice would be really good. Also pretty rusty on the whole rental scene so any tips for that also appreciated.

I don't know Glasgow that well but I understand that the accommodation situation is pretty bad with people having to turn down places because they can't get somewhere to live.

I don't know if it might be looking at Stirling to see if they have any private student halls still with space?

Most of that is in the town near the railway station/bus station and it's about half an hour travel into Queen street by train which is very close to Strathclyde buildings.

At least that way he is likely to be sharing with other 1st years even if it is a different uni and it might be no more time or cost to travel than being in the wrong part of Glasgow. he could still socialise with his class mates who are unlikely to be in the same accommodation anyway. Strathclyde will have a lot of students who live at home.

don't really have any current advice as DD isn't looking for accommodation this year due to year abroad but sorry to hear you're finding it so difficult.

for strathclyde most of the students try to stay handy, so city centre, merchant city, cowcaddens, dennistoun but a lot also choose to go out into the west end and travel in from there (although they are then absolutely competing with glasgow uni students as well).

have you tried looking for a room to let/flat share rather than starting with finding flatmates? i would have expected the uni to step up and provide advice and pointers - have they not given him any ideas? my DD has done uni halls, private halls and flatshares and the accommodation has all been fine - Scotland has stricter rental rules than England (more focused on the tenant).

Sorry, but that's terrible advice to stay in Stirling! It's ages away- who wants to be commuting when you're already moving from Kent?

I'm sorry this is the case OP. Sturmundcalm is bang with the recommendations for areas. DS1's friends both had private halls last year (one Strathclyde, one Calendonian) right behind Strathclyde Uni library. I do know that 2 of the lads sharing with one of his friends left really soon into the course and noone replaced them. I wonder if you could go on to a list for cancellations somewhere?

I'm sorry you're in this situation. Glasgow is a great city, but super busy, especially in that area with 2 universities and numerous colleges.

A flatshare sounds like it would suit. Have you/ DS been on The Student Room to see where these would be listed these days? Strathclyde is a big university, they must have some kind of student online forum to help here. I'd contact admissions until they do something to help.

DS1 is going to Glasgow University but staying at home for first year (his choice), so I've not had to deal with accomodation. So many Scottish students will have known for months which uni they're going to due to our unconditional offer system. The universities know this and should have a contingency.

If you need any help with geography/ practicalities of the city we can answer on here for you.

Good luck.

Don't be ridiculous, students commute from Stirling to Glasgow all the time. It can take longer to get into Strathclyde from within Glasgow.

Obviously student accommodation near the uni is the ideal but it's going to take thinking out the box to resolve OPs issues.

My experience with university so far is as long as they have your money, no shits are given.

i agree with puffalicious about the potential for drop outs - definitely worth trying to find a way to be on a reserve list or even checking the student room, DD has had uni accommodation in cardiff this summer from someone who wanted to sublet their room (forced to take full-year lease). not sure what you could do in the short term but possibly even a hostel???

i also agree that i really wouldn't head out to stirling - that's not a normal uni experience! there's no way that transport from within the greater glasgow area could possibly cost as much as the train from stirling and the last train home would be before midnight. if he really can't find anything in the areas he wants then it would be better to consider the southside or further into the east end but you prob should be a bit more careful with areas then.

DD was 2 years in city centre (right off High Street) - walkable to everything; 1 year in North Kelvinside (uni was a bit far for walking, especially in miserable weather) and 1 year in Finnieston (ok walk for uni or could get train, v handy for all the student pubs up the Charing Cross end of Sauchiehall St!). Some of these years were obv a bit fragmented due to covid...

Sorry Binbandit but I don't appreciate being called ridiculous: it's my opinion. I wouldn't want my DS starting uni and commuting everyday.

How rude. I'm out. Good luck OP.

Have you tried Homes For Good? They are a social enterprise landlord and letting agency.

@Puffalicious do you not see that you were being rude also?

Surely your son is starting Uni and commuting everyday?

I think saying I'm ridiculous is far, far ruder than saying something is a terrible idea. The discourse is quite different.

My son will have a 20 minute bike ride/ 10 min car ride if he can park- very, very different than trains and buses from Stirling. A student from Stirling may choose to do this, but it's not ideal, especially if the OP's son is already moving from Kent. I don't know anyone who'd choose to live in Stirling if they're at uni in Glasgow (in fact, my cousin's daughter decided to move to Stirling University last year rather than commute from Glasgow).

Anyway, like I said, I've given my opinion to the OP. Good luck with finding accomodation. I'm not engaging further.

Thank you all very much. We have massively lucked out sending an email at exactly the right time this morning and have secured him private halls. It’s taken nearly all day to sort but it’s all booked.

very relieved!!!!

Brilliant OP. Well done 👏. What's his course?

glad you got it sorted :-)

Will PM you

Most Strathclyde students head towards dennistoun for flats.

Just dont go further east towards park head/ shettleston.

The west end is a lot more expensive and dominated by Glasgow uni students.

The 38 bus goes from the southside to the Strathclyde campus so look along that route.

Hopefully a place in halls will come up mid term.

Could you come for the weekend to look around before he starts?

When I was at Glasgow in the 90s, I knew several people who had to commute from Stirling. It wasn’t ideal but they managed.

Well done on getting a place

if anyone else finds themselves in a similar position then Springburn can be a relatively decent area for both Strathclyde and Caley uni students.

the buses run down springburn road plus there’s the massive Tesco, Costco and a Lidl en route

I trust you are sorted with accommodation.
14 + weeks in and son staying in hotels, hostels, is now
sleeping on a Uni friend's couch in Stirling, and commuting to Glasgow.

Just wrote a big long reply which vanished… obviously commuting from Stirling when you have no ties to Stirling and want to be on Glasgow is ridiculous.

also 2 of the large blocks at Strathclyde- Thomas Campbell and James blyth - are closed and empty. Possibly for refurbishment but there’s no sign of work happening. That’s 400ish beds. Doesn’t explain all the issues but lots of wee things like that have all combined to make a right disaster this year.

That’s terrible I’m so sorry. DS has a friend that is staying in a hotel, it’s just ridiculous.

My DC has just started in Glasgow and I'm already worrying about next year. Any top tips about the best way to secure accommodation?

My nephew and his mates took over the lease in mid June from some students who were graduating. They knew one if them from a hobby. Ask around as they got a viewing before it was advertised. Paying over summer okay as 3 if them had jobs and they sublet one if the 2 other rooms.

If your DC and friends are doing integrated then make sure landlord knows as many like the idea of 4 years uninterrupted rent.

Glad he got something. Looking at the rental market in Glasgow and properly 😮at the prices!

@applesandpears33 Will your DC be looking for halls or for a private rental?
When I was at uni in Glasgow a few years back it was always far easier to find a decent private rental before the end of the summer term.
It meant we ended up paying for it over the summer but it was better than scrambling trying to find somewhere decent before the new term started in September.
It also meant that even if we were all heading home for the summer we could move all our stuff over to the new flat and leave it there and only head home with clothes etc rather than having to store kitchen/bedroom stuff etc at home all summer then cart it back to Glasgow

Not sure if he has tried My Pad in Paisley in may be full but it isn't too bad getting into Glasgow and if he has a free bus pass there are plenty of buses